'Normal Barbie': Lammily, the doll has stretch marks, acne

A DESIGNER who became so frustrated with Barbie's frighteningly disproportionate body that he created a new 'realistic' doll for children, has now released an add-on pack complete with acne, cellulite and stretch marks.

Earlier this year, artist and researcher Nickolay Lamm captured the internet's imagination by creating a doll whose body is based on the average measurements of a 19-year-old woman in the US.

The result was Lammily, who stands at 10.72 inches tall and wears relatively toned-down outfits and makeup compared with her Mattel counterpart, including a range of snug winter coats, denim shorts and an ombre shirt.

And unlike Barbie, whose constantly pointed legs would force her to walk on all fours if she were real, Lammily has articulated joints - reading to walk, run and play. Promotional shots of the doll on the official website even show her poised in a tricky plank yoga position.

From January, for $6 (£4) children can customise their dolls with marks commonly found on bodies of all shapes and sizes, including freckles, stretch marks, acne, moles, cellulite, and blushing cheeks for when Lammily is "embarrassed, shy, or anxious".

An estimated 50 to 90 percent of women will develop stretch marks, and over 90 percent of women have cellulite somewhere on their bodies. Acne is also very common, with an estimated 80 percent of people experiencing an outbreak between the ages of 11 and 30, the Huffington Post reported.

Children can also adorn Lammily according to the success of her latest adventure, with stitches, scrapes and scratches, bruises, scars, mosquito bites, grass, dirt stains and even a cast featured in the pack. Temporary tattoos and stylish blue, thick-rimmed glasses are also included.

Mr Lammy told The Independent he was inspired to make the pack after he saw US popstar Demi Lovato tweet that she wanted a doll with cellulite.

"I want to show that having things like acne, cellulite, stretchmarks, are all normal things to have. [They're] nothing to be ashamed about. Real is cool," he said.

"I just feel that in toy stores there's a wall of supermodel like dolls (not that there's anything wrong with being a supermodel). But if there's a doll which looks like typical people, it's saying that it's okay to look real and not like a supermodel.

"I personally feel other dolls on the market are great products, I'm just trying to make an alternative," he said.